Tenoning machine



Oct. 28, 1941. J. H. FARRELL 2,260,662

TENONING MACHINE Filed NOV. 15, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l @l-ZI @meafifhrrel WITNESS ATTORNEYS 1941- J. FARRELL 2,260,662

TENONING MACHINE Filed Nov. 13, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR av @hjammf:

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENTformer.

James H. Farrell, High Point, N. 0. Application November 13, 1939, S erialvNo.;304,254

4 Claims.

-'I'his invention relates to power actuated work holding means for woodworking machinesand more particularly for application and use as an attachmentto or as an incorporated means or mechanism in a shaper or machine for cutting and forming mortises and tenons, the prime object being to provide a simple yet practical and eflicient power actuated work clamping means which is automatically operated and controlled in timed relation to the cutting and shapingmechanism of the'machine. c

A particular object is to produce a mechanism in a unitary assembly which is readily attached to a conventional mortising and tenoning ma-c chine or the like without alteration in the regular mechanism of themachine or in the attachment itself.

A further object is to provide a unitary construction and arrangement in the work holdin attachment whereby boards to be mortised or tenoned or similarly cutand formed may be held in either a vertical or a horizontal position by separate work gripping or clamping elements which are separately usable but operated simultaneously by power actuated means common to both the vertical and the horizontal holding elements and under the same operating control; v

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages to be attained, as will hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists in the, novel general structure and in the several parts and combinations and arrangements of parts there of as, hereinafter described and set forth with distinguishing particularity in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings illustrating a practical adaptation of the invention, in which- I a Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view illustrative of the essential parts of a conventional mortising and tenoning machine which directly enter into the operation and control of the work holding means of the present invention and illustrating the work holding means as installed upon the machine; I

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale and in section taken on or aboutthe line 2-2 of Figure 1; c v j r V Figure 3 is a section, on the same scale as in Figure 2, but taken on the transverse line .3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view partly in top plan and partly in horizontal section taken substantially on the line 5-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a perspective View of the horizontal work clamping unit detached;

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the pressure fluid controlling valve as set in normal position for supplying the fluid to the lower portion of the power cylinder ;to lift the piston;

Figure? 1 is a similar view showing. the pressure fluid controlling valve rotated to the position for supplying thefluid to the upper portion of the cylinder to move the piston downward; and

Figure 8 is a detail View vof a modified form of cam velement for controlling the operation of the pressure fluid controlling valve. I

Referring now to the-drawings in detail, the numeral l designates'gene'rally the mainbody frame of a conventional mortising and tenoning machine comprising the upright side members 2, horizontal top c'ross framing" 3 and the regular sub-framing '(not shown) which supports obviousparts of the generalimechanism, also not shown, because not entering in detail into the function and operation of the work holding means of the present invention. Suflice it to merelyc describ'e a regular vwork carrying horizontal top body orflhead 4',,shown in top plan in Figure 1 and fragmentarily in vertical section in FigurejZ. "Thisfworking body, or head-'4 is merely shown conventionally and of, a general rectangu lar form, it being :mounted in a conventional manner on theftopicrossjframing 30f the machine so as toibe selectively reciprocated either in astraight longitudinal direction only, or in a combined longitudinal and transverse direction and with orbital motion, either circularly or elliptically, dependingflupcmthe character of the cutting and forming operations to be performed by themachine, that is to' say, as to whether the boards to be 'cutare placed and held horizontally in the machine for plaintcutting operation by movement only longitudinally endwise into engagement with the cutters and likewise with!- drawn from the cutters or placed and held vertically when the mortising and tenoning operation is performed byfrnoving the end portions ofthe boardslat erally'into engagement with and past thecutters for straight across cutting and formation or first longitudinally into engagement with the cutters and then causingthe work to travel in an orbit about the respectivecutters, either in a substantially true circle or 'elliptically for that particular kind of'cutting and'formation, as the casemaybe. g

As far as the present invention is concerned, only a portion of,the,mechanism for imparting the lon'gitudinal movement .to the work carrying body or head d inthe straight longitudinal direction 'forplain cutting operation on either the horizontally positioned or vertically positioned boards, as hereinabove described, and in the same direction in the initial operation of the body or head 4 when the cutting operations are performed on the vertically positioned boards with the combined orbital travel of the boards about the cutters in that particular character of work.

Only a portion 5 of a regular reciprocatory undercarriage which effects the straight longitudinal reciprocation of the working body or head 4 in the plain cutting and forming operations and a corresponding initial forward and final return movement of said working body or head 4 for partial orbital cutting and forming operations is illustrated conventionally in Figure 1, it being understood that on the major portion of said carriage 5 (not shown) is carried the regular means which effects the orbital travel of the working body or head 4 and is automatically operated and controlled in timed relation to the actuating means for the carriage 5 itself, which latter means will now be described. In the structure shown, the carriage portion 5 has a vertical driving shaft 6 journaled thereon adjacent the rear end thereof, said shaft being constantly rotated by a conventional driving connection with a motor (not shown) which latter, obviously, is either carriedon the carriage 5 or is mounted on the main frame of themachine with a suitable provision in the driving connection between it and the shaft 6 to compensate for the reciprocation of the carriage.

A conventional spring element 1 is attached at one end, as at 8, to a rigid and stationary angular extension 9 of the main frame I of the machine, the opposite end of the spring element being attached, as at I0, to th carriage 5, said spring element yieldably holding the carriage in a normally retracted position and reacting to return the carriage to such position after each forward actuation thereof, the forward actuation of the carriage being effected by a rotating cam II which is fixedly set on the driving shaft 6 so as to rotate with the latter. Said cam is held, under the influence of the spring element I, in constant contact with an antifriction roller I2 journaled on the inner end portion of a stop bracket I3 which is longitudinally slotted, as at I4, and bolted through the slot into the frame extension 9, as at I5, whereby to be longitudinally adjusted. I

At the forward end of the machine is the usual battery of cutters I6 which are obviously mounted on the upper ends of vertical spindles laterally alined in a transverse row and driven in a conventional manner by means (not shown). As hereinabove described, the cam II, in its rotation, effects a straight reciprocation of the working body or head 4 for the plain cutting of the board-s and also for a corresponding movement of the working body or head 4 in the initial cutting and final retraction of the boards in connection with the orbital cuttingof the tenons, the forward travel of, the carriage 5 being effected by the engagement of the leading radial cam surface I I of the cam -I I with the antifriction roller I2 of the stop bracket I3, the carriage being held for a considerable period of time -at the end of its forward stroke by the concentric circular peripheral portion II b of the cam riding in engagement with the antifric-tion roller I2, that is to say, until the receding radial return portion II at the opposite end of said concentric portion II passes the roller I2 and the low concentric portion II is brought into engagement with the roller I2 under the reactive in fiuence of th spring element I. It is during this period when the carriage is at rest at the end of its forward stroke that the aforesaid orbital travel of the working body or head 4 occurs. In this connection, it is here noted that if only plain cutting is to be performed, the particular mechanism which effects the orbital trav el of the working body or head 4 is placed in an inoperative condition by conventional means (not shown) provided for the purpose in the regularly connected or coactive operating assembly of the machine.

Further description of the conventional mortising and tenoning machine and detailed illustration other than that shown in the accompanying drawings is deemed unnecessary for a full understanding of the construction and operation of the work holding means of the present invention to be now described.

Obviously, inasmuch as the work is placed in either a vertical position or a horizontal position, according to the kind of cutting and forming operation to be performed, separate holding means is provided for each working position. As shown, the vertical holding means comprises an abutment plat I'I (see Figures 1, 3 and 4) which is screwed or bolted, as at I8, to the forward longitudinal side face of an elongated body block I9 which extends transversely of the working body or head 4 adjacent the forward end of the latter. As shown, the block I9 is supported at its opposite ends on right angular base members which are bolted through their outwardly disposed horizontal bottom flanges 20', as at 2I, to the top face of the working body or head 4. Obviously, the base members 20 may be either formed integrally with the body block I9 or separately therefrom, as desired, but, in any case, it is preferable to extend said base members 20 a considerable distance beyond the inner longitudinal side of the body block I 9, as at 22, and shown more clearly in Figures 1, 3 and 4.

Capped bearing brackets 23 are attached to I th opposite ends of the body block I 9, preferably by bolts 24 which are inserted through alined apertures in the body of the bracket 23 and the cap 23' thereof and into registered screw-threaded openings (not shown) provided therefor in the end of the body block, the bolts 24 thus constituting common supporting means for the attachment of the bracket to the body block as well as the cap member to the bracket. The bearing brackets 23 and their cap members 23' are jointly bored horizontally, as at 25 (see Figure 4) in which bores supporting bars 26 are slidably fitted for longitudinal reciprocation, said bars 26 being of a length to project a considerable distance beyond the forward ends of the bearing brackets 23 and having their end portions screw-threaded, as at 21, for the reception of nuts 28, which latter constitute adjustable abutments for a rectangular flatfaced clamping plate 29 whose opposit end portions are pro- 65 vided with apertures 30 of a diameter to fit loosely on th supporting bars 26. The clamping plate 29, which is located in opposed relation to the abutment plate I! on the body block I 9, is yieldably held away from the abutment plate by helical springs 3| which are coiled loosely about the supporting bars 26 and interposed between the forward ends of the bearing brackets 23 and washers 32 which are sleeved loosely on said supporting bars 26 between the outer ends of the spring 3I and adjacent inner face portions of said clamping'plat'e 29; In this connection, it noted that thenuts'28 are adjuste'dzon the screw-threadedportionslfl of said sup-porting bars 26 to vary the normally spacedparallel position of'the clampingplat 29 relative to the alsoyieldably hold the clamping plate 29 in its normal. spaced relationto the abutment plate H, Theend enlargements 33 of the supporting bars 26 are longitudinally slotted-as at 34, in which slotted portions thrust rollers 35 are located just within the extreme end portionsof said enlargements' 33 and being journaled on transverse'p-intles 36 which latter are fitted at their opposite ends in apertures provided therefor in the companion arms of the bifurcated enla'rgements 33. It is here pointed out that the end enlargement 33 of each supporting bar 2 6is of ample length so that considerable spac maybe provided between the base'of the bifurcation of the enlargement and the periphery of the thrust roller 35 for the passage of a reciprocatory operating bar 31, the major body portion of which latter is mountedin' a slideway38 provided therefor in the body block I 3; the outer end portion" 39 of said bar '31 extending through the bifurcated portion of said enlargement 33 of the supporting ba'r 26 and normally some distance therebeyond (see Figures 2 and 4). There are two of these operating bars 31 (one correlated to each of the sup-porting bars '26) and the pair of operating bars '31-are yieldably held with their innerendsin' abutting conta'ct with each other by a pair of spring elements 46 which are re- 1 spectively located on opposite side s of the meeting end portions of said'pairof operating bars 31,- said spring elements being respectively attached at theiroppo'site "ends to the adjacent side faces of the bars, as'at 4L As the two bars 31 are exactly alike in structural form and operation 'a descriptionof one willsufficep Each bar is provlded near its outer end portion 39 with arec'ess' 42 which is of compound curvature to provide a camming portion 42 at its inner end, said recesS in the normal retracted position'of the bar 31, having the thrust roller-t5 received therein (seeFigure 4), at which time the cor-;

related supporting bar 26 is heldin its normal retracted position under 'the influence of its spring 3! as hereinbefore described.

When the-two operating bars 31 are simultaneously moved longitudinally apart by power means to be later more fully described, and said barsbeing held to a definite line of reciprocation by the slideway '38 of the body block 59 the camming effect of'the inner end portions 42' of the're'cesses 42 in said bars 3'l-against the thrust rollers -35'causes a retractive longitudinal movement of the supporting bars 26, whereby the clamping plate 29 is accordingly moved toward the abutment plate I! so as to grip the work previously placed vertically between said plates I! and 29 in their normal spaced relation to each other, and, of course, for the accommodation of such work of a given thickness, the spacing'of the plate 29 relative to the plate i! having been previously adjusted by turning the nuts 28 inwardly or outwardly on the screw-threaded portions?! =.of the supp'orting bars 26 as herein-- before sdes'cribedr f T l To grip andhold the horizontally positioned workaon th top face of theworking body or head 4 for that character of cutting operation to t be accordingly performed as hereinbefore described," special clamping. means is provided for use separately from the vertical clamping means but preferably operated simultaneously therewith and by the. same power means. As shown, the cooperative pair'of operating bars '31 are each provided adjacent their inner'ends with a cam projection '43" on a longitudinal side at right anglesito the sidein which the aforesaid cam recess 42 is provided,- said cam projections 43 working. in lateral slots 44 provided in the body' bloclt I91 and establishing communication between the-bottom of the slideway 38 and registered'longltudinally slotted portions 45 of avertically movable elongated carrier frame 46- located beneath the bodyi block I9 and supporting a clamping'plateifl.

. The carrier frame 46, as shown more clearly in Figure 5; eomprisesa spaced pair of elongated rectangularsid 'bars 46 and 46 said bars beseparated intermediate their ends by rectangular strut blocks 48 and fastened together by transverse bolts'49 which are inserted through alined' openings provided therefor in theblocks 48"and"opposite side bars 46aand 46 respec-' tively, whereby; not only are the parts securely fastened togethenbut ample rigidity i'sgiven to th structure, "At the opposite ends of the carrier frame 46 strut blocks 50 are inserted between the side bars 46* and 46 jand fastened in place; the same as the aforesaid blocks 48, by bolts or other suitable fasteners 49.

The end "strut blocks 50 are-provided with I rightangular e'xtensions5l at their upper ends, said extensions 5! being of rectangular form and projected some distance beyond the adjacent end portions of the body'block [6 through rectangular openings 52 provided in the adjacent upper portions of the base members 20 and just below'the plane of the underside of the body block I91 (see Figure 2) The rectangular openings :52 arenelongated vertically to afford ample clearance for down and up operating movement of 'the'carrier frame 46, as-wil1 be later more fully-described, and'said carrier frame 46' is yielclablyheld in'a normally raised position in close relationto the underside of the body block I9 by helical spring elements 53 interposed between the horizontal bottom flanges 26' of the base members 26 and the undersides of the rectangular extensions 5| of the end strut blocks blocks 50, as shown more clearly in Figure 5.

The spring elements 53 react to restore the carrierframe 46 to its normal raised position after each downward actuation of the carrier frame which is effected by outward longitudinal movement of' the operating bars 36, during which movement of said operating bars 31 the cam proiections'43 on the bars engage thrust rollers 51 located in the longitudinally slotted portions 45 fitted tightly f the carrier frame which are inregistration with the aforesaid slots 44 through which'communication is established between said slotted portions 45' of the carrier-frame and the slideway 38 in which said operating bars 31 work, said thrust rollers '51 being journaled on transverse pintles 58 which are fitted at their opposite ends in apertures provided therefor in the adjacent portions of the side bars 46 and 46 respectively, of the carrier frame 46, and the peripheral portions of said rollers 51 above their respective pintles 58 being projected into said communicating slots 44 in the path of the cam projections 43 of the operating bar 31.

The clamping plate 41 is mounted on the.carrier frame 46 with provision for. its adjustment in spaced working relation to the top face of the work carrying body or head 4 of the mortising and tenoning machine. This mounting, as shown, comprises a pair of supporting and adjusting studs 59, the lower end portions of which are reduced and screw-threaded, as'at 60, and in counterpart screw-threaded openings provided therefor in the adjacent end portions of the clamping plate 41, the shoulders formed on said studs 59 at the bases of said reduced screw-threaded end portions 60 impinging the adjacent top face portions of said clamping plate 47. The entire'body portion of each stud 59 above the clamping plate 41, except for flattened surfaces 6| on opposite sides thereof, being screw-threaded, as at 62, for the reception of adjustable abutment nuts 63 which are turned upwardly or downwardly, as the case may be, in the adjustment of said clamping plate 41 toward or away from the carrier frame 46, said abutment nuts 63 bearing against the adjacent underside portions of the carrier frame and'resisting pressure against the underside of' the clamping plate 41 tending to move the latter toward the carrier frame 46. The thickness of the studs 59 between their opposite flattened longitudinal faces 6|, is substantially the same as the distance between the two side bars 46 and 46 of the carrier frame 46 between whichside bars 46 and 46 the portions of the studs 59 above the abutment nuts 63 are inserted with a rather snug fit. I

For setting the studs 59 in their longitudinal adjustment in the carrier frame 46, setscrews 64 are provided on the outer side bar 46 so as to be tightened against the adjacent flat longitudinal faces 6| of the studs 59 prior to the setting of the abutment nuts 63 against the underside of the carrier frame 46, that is to say, the stud 59, with the setscrew 64 and the abutment nut 63 loosened, is moved to the proper position for the desired longitudinal adjustment thereof and the setscrew 64 then tightened against the stud,after which the nut 63 is turned on the stud until the nut is brought tight against the adjacent under portion of the carrier frame 46. By the foregoing it is obvious that the clamping plate 41 is readily adjusted for its proper spaced working relation to the top face of the work carrying body or head 4 with substantial abutment provision between said plate 41 and carrier frame 46 to effectively clamp the work between said plate 41 and the work carryingbody or head 4 under the pressure of the power means to be now described.

The power means for actuating the operating bars 31 which in turn effect the actuation of the clamping plates 29 and 41 through the associated instrumentalities, as hereinbefore described, comprises a power cylinder 65 having a substantial annularly flanged base 66, the major portion of which is bolted,'as at61, to the top face of the'body block [9, and an overhanging portion of the base flange 66 being bolted, as at 68, to an arcuate supporting ledge 69 corresponding to the curvature. of said overhanging base flange portion 66 of the cylinder and formed as an integral extension of an elongated cover plate 10 which is bolted at intervals throughout its length to the rear vertical face of the body block I 9, as at H, said plate 10 constituting a side closure for the slideway 38, which latter is formed by cutting and grooving the body block IQ for the accommodation of the operating bars 31. In this connection, it'is noted that the bottom edge of the cover plate 10 terminates short of the plane of the bottom face of the body block l9 at a distance just suflicient for the reception thereunder of a horizontal filler plate 12 which constitutes the bottom wall of the slideway 38 and extends a considerable distance laterally from the outer vertical face ofthe cover plate 10 and is bolted at its opposite ends, as at 13, to the top faces of the extensions 22 of the base members 20 which support the body block [9. It is in this bottom plate 12 that the communicating slots 44 are provided between the slideway 38 and the longitudinally slotted 'portions 45 of the carrier frame 46, in which'slots 44 the cam projections 43 of the operating bars 31 and thrust rollers 51 work. It is further noted that elongated lateral enlargements 40' of the slideway 38, provided in the body block l9 and cover plate 10 for the accommodation of the spring elements 40, are also covered by the adjacent middle body portions of the bottom plate 12 at opposite sides of a central longitudinal slot 12' provided in the plate (see Figures 2 and 3), said slot 12' coinciding communicably above a longer slot 48 in the carrier frame 46 between the strut blocks 48 thereof.

Within the cylinder is a piston 14 having'a downwardly extending axial'stem 15 which re ciprocates through a conventional packed opening 16 in the bottom wall of the cylinder and carries at its lower end a wedge-shaped head 11. As shown, the head 11 is of a triangular prismatic form having two opposite flat faces square with the base thereof and transversely with respect to its two inclined faces which have a wedging effect upon the meeting ends of the operatin bars 31 as will presently more fully appear.' The opposite fiat vertical side faces of the head 11 have a rather snug sliding engagement with the opposed side faces of a guide opening '18 provided in the body block l9, said opening 18 being preferably elongated in the lengthwise direction of the underlying slideway 38 with which it communicates (see Figures 2 and 3) so that the opposite ends of the rectangular openin 18 thus formed are spaced some distance from the adjacent base ends of said head 11. The apex edge 79 of the head 11 is coincident with the vertical plane of the meeting ends of the operatingbars 31 in their normally retracted positions. -Preferably, the apex edge portion 19 of the head 71 is rounded slightly to relieve it of acute sharpness and the upper corners of the meeting ends of said operating bars 31 are also preferably rounded off, as at 80, so that said edge portion 19 of the head 11 enters easily between the ends of the bars 31 when the head is forced downwardly by fluid pressure applied to the top face of the piston 14 and thereby causing simultaneous outward longitudinal movement of said bars 31, as will later more fully appear. Leading from a controlling valve, designated generally by the numeral 8| andfixedly mounted on a bracket extension 82 of the main frame 2 of the mortising and tenoning machine, is a pressure fluid conducting pipe 83 which is connected at its end remote from the valve 8| to an intake fitting 84 at the lower end of the cylinder 65 b'y a flexible hose 85, .saidflexible hose being provided to compensate for both the reciprocatory and the orbital travel of the work carrying body or head 4 on which the cylinder 65 is carried. The intake fitting 84 is communicably connected to the lower inlet passageway 86 of the cylinder, said passageway'Bfi being provided in the base flange 66 of the cylinder and extending into the bottom Wall of the cylinder with an upturned inner end portion terminating in a port opening 81 directly in the lower portion of the cylinder (see Figure 2). Also leading from the valve BI is a pressure fluid conducting pipe 88 having a flexible hose connection 89 to .a fitting 98 which is communicably connectedto an upper inlet passageway 9I in the head of the cylinder 65 and having a downturned end portion terminating in a port 92 opening directly into the upper portion of the cylinder.

It is here noted that when pressure fluid is admitted into the lower portion of the cylinder 65 below the piston 14 and pressure fluid is evacuated from the 'cylinder'above the piston, the piston is moved upwardly and thereby retracting the head 11 from engagement with the operating bars 31, and, inversely, when the pressure fluid is supplied to the cylinder above the piston and the pressure fluid is evacuated from the cylinder below the piston, the piston is moved downwardly and the head 11- is thereby forced between the meeting inner ends of the bars 31.

As shown, the valve 8| comprises a body cas ing having a bore with which the two conductin pipes 83 and 88 communicate through parallel ports 93 and 94, respectively, at one side of the valve body, and the valve body having an inlet port 95 to which is connected a pipe 96 leading from a source of pressure fluid (not shown) preferably compressed air, although, obviously, steam or hydraulic pressure may be employed if desired. Rotatable within the bore of the valve body is a circular plug 91 having a curved passageway 98, one end port 99 of which is restricted and brought alternately into communicable registration with the ports 93 and 94 of the valve body in the operation of said plug, the opposite end port of said passageway 98 being widened, as at I88, so as to be in communication with the port 95 of the valve body when its end port 99 is in communicable registration with either one of the ports 93 and 94.

The valve plug 91 is also provided with an exhaust passage I8I of substantially Y-shape, the port I82 at the end of its stem portion being in communication with an elongated outlet opening I83 of the valve body at all times, whether the port 99 of they pressure fluid supply passageway 98 of the plug is in registration with the port 93 to which the conducting pipe 83 is connected or the port 94 to which the conducting pipe 88 is connected, but one branch I84 of the Y-shaped exhaust passageway is located and correlated for communicable registration only with the fluid pressure outlet port 93 and the opposite branch I85 of said passageway I8I being locatedand correlated only to the pressure fluid outlet port 94. In other words, as illustrated .in Figure 6, wherein the valve p1ug191 is in its normal position, the port 99 of :the supply passageway 98 is in communicable registration with the outlet port .93 and pressure fluid is then supplied through the conducting pipe '83 and hose connection to the lower portion of the power cylinder 85, and the branch I04 of the Y-shaped exhaust passageway is in communication with the port 94 to-which, the conducting pipe 88 is connected and whereby the pressure fluid is evacuated from the upper portion of the cylinder 65 and the piston 14 is moved upwardly by the fluid pressure thereunder.

'When the valve plug 91 is turned to the position as illustrated in Figure '1, the'port 99 of the supply passageway 98 in the plug is brought into communicable registration with the outlet port 94, whereupon the pressure fluid is conducted through the pipe '88 and the hose connection 89 into the upper portion of the cylinder 65. In this operated position of the valve plug 91, a peripheral recess I85 in the plug 91 and constituting the terminal of the branch I85 of the exhaust passageway Hi l is in communicable registration with the port 93 to which the conducting pipe 83 is connected, whereby the pressure fluid is evacuated from the lower portion of the cylinder 65 and the piston 14 is moved downwardly under the fluid pressure now applied thereabove.

The illustration of the controlling valve 8| in Figures 1, 6 and '7 is more or less schematic and conventional, but, as indicated in Figures 6' and 7, the branch I 84 of the exhaust passageway I8I is in the .same plane as the port 99 of the supply passagewayv 98, while the branch I85 of said exhaust passageway I8I is in a plane below that oi the supply passageway 98, as indicated by the dotted lines, said branch I85 terminating communicably with the peripheral recess I85, which latter, in the operated position shown in Figure '7, is brought into communicable registration with the port 94 to which the conducting pipe 88 is communicably attached.

As hereinabove stated, the normal position of the valve plug 91 is that illustrated in Figure 6. In this position, an operating arm I86 which is secured to the 'upper end portion of an axial stem I81 extending upwardly of the top of the plug, is set in the angular position as shown in Figure l, in which position said arm I96 is 'yieldably held by a spring I88 which is coiled about the stem I81 andsecured atone end to the top of the valve body casing, as at 189, the opposite end of the spring being engaged with the arm I86, as at I 58, whereby, when the arm I 86 is moved from its normal position, the spring I88 is wound and thereby reacts to return the arm I86 to its normal position when relieved of the force which moved it from such position. The operating arm I86 has a pitman rod H I attached at one end thereto, as at N2, the opposite end of said rod III being pivotally attached, as at II3, to an actuator lever II4, which latter is pivotally attached, as at I I5, to a bracket I I6 fixedly secured to the rearportion of the cross framing 3 ofthe machine.

As shown, the actuator lever II4 extends nor mally at an angle downwardly from its pivot I I5, with its free end portion II1 resting against the concentric low portion II8 of an auxiliary cam H8 which is fixed on the driving shaft 6 above the cam II which controls the reciprocation of the work carrying body or head 4 as hereinbefore described. In this connection, it is here noted that the actuator lever H4 is held against the cam H8 under the influence of the spring I08 which is wound about the stem IDTof; the valve plug Bland attached at its ends to the valve body casing and said operating arm I06, respectively, as just above described. The concentric periphery I I8 of the high portion of the cam I I8 is at a distance from the periphery of the low portion H8 thereof to hold the actuator lever I I4 in a raised straight longitudinal position after moving from its normal position through an angle sufficient to move the operating arm I08 through the angle necessary for rotating the valve plug 91 from its normal position shown in Figure 6 to the operated position shown in Figure '7 with the effect as hereinbefore described.

The length of the high concentric peripheral portion I I8 between the leading radial camming surface H8 and the receding radial portion N8 of the cam H8 is proportioned to the length of the concentric high peripheral portion II of the cam II which controls the actuation of the undercarriage of the machine and said cam I I8 is also set on the driving shaft 8 in working relation to the cam II so that, when the actuator lever H4 is moved by the cam II8 from its normal position shown in Figure 1 to the operated position hereinbefore described, the valve plug 91 is accordingly rotated to the operated position shown in Figure 7 because of the pitman rod connection between the actuator lever H4 and the operating arm I08 of the plug. This actuation occurs just prior to the forward movement of the undercarriage 5 and effects the simultaneous clamping movement of the clamping plates 29 and 4! as hereinbefore described, the valve plug 91 being retained in its operated position throughout the forward movement of the undercarriage 5 and the return movement thereof, and for a time after the undercarriage is fully retracted. The work, designated by the numeral H9 and comprising two boards placed back to back in vertical position loosely between the abutment plate I"! and clamping plate 29 while the work carrying body or head 4 is at rest as shown in Figure l is, due to the above noted operation of the valve plug 91, securely clamped and held throughout the entire time the work carrying body or head 4 is traveling in any of the directions in which it operates and, of course, 2'

while the cutting operations are being performed, it being understood that the operator places the work between the abutment plate I! and clamping plate 29 and also removes the work during the period that the work carrying body or head 4 is at rest and at which time the clamping plate 29 is held removed from the abutment plate I! under the reactive influence of the springs 3I which have been compressed during the movement of the clamping plate 29 into clamping relation to the work. The same is true as to the operation of the clamping plate 4'! when the work is placed horizontally and fiatwise upon the work carrying body or head 4 in the performance of that particular cutting operation as hereinbefore described.

Conventional means for locating the work horizontally on the work carrying body or head 4 may be provided as indicated at I in Figure 1, said means, as shown, comprising elongated plates provided with longitudinal slots l2I through which the plates may be bolted to the top face of the body or head 4, as at I22, and the plates having turned up inner end portions I23 between which the work is placed after the plates have been accordingly adjusted on the body or head 4 for work of a given width; However, in so .far as the present invention is concerned, other provision may he obviously made for the purpose, and similarly for positioning the vertical work with relation to the abutment plate I'I.

In some cases, particularly when the work carrying body or head 4 is only reciprocated in a straight line for plain cutting operations, as hereinbefore described, speedier operation of said work carrying body or head 4 may be accomplished by substituting a double cam I24 in place of the hereinbefore described cam H8 as shown in Figure 8, the diametrically opposed Wings I25 of said cam I24 acting alternately upon the actuator lever H4 in substantially the. same manner as the aforesaid cam I'l8, it being, of course, understood that when the double cam I2 4 is used,

a corresponding double cam (not shown) must.

be used'in connection therewith in place of the hereinbefore described cam II which controls the reciprocation of the undercarriage 5.

By the use of the fluid pressure actuated work clamping means of the present invention all manual labor is eliminated except in the placing of the work in and removing it from between the clamping plates 29 and 4! and their respective abutments.

While the herein illustrated and described structure embodies a practical adaptation of the invention, it is obvious that considerable alteration and modification may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The invention, therefore, is not limited to the specific construction and arrangement shown.

What is claimed is:

1. In a conventional machine of the character described andiincluding a work carrier movable into and out of working relation tothe cutting means of the machine and having provision for intermittently actuating said work carrier from and back to a normal position in which it is retained throughout a substantial period of rest, the combination therewith of a vertical abutment provided at the forward end of the work carrier in the direction of travel of the latter toward the cutting means of the machine, a work clamping plate movably mounted in opposed cooperative relation to said vertical abutment and having provision in its support for yieldably holding it normally spaced ahead of said abutment, said work carrier having a horizontal work supporting portion, a clamping plate mounted above and having provision for guided vertical movement toward and from said horizontal work supporting portion, means for yieldably holding said horizontal clamping plate in normal spaced relation to said horizontal Work supporting portion of the work carrier, and controlled fluid pressure power means for effecting a simultaneous' actuation of said vertical and horizontal clamping plates respectively toward said vertical abutment and said horizontal work supporting portion of the work carrier, said power means comprising a longitudinally alined pair of reciprocatory actuator bars each common to both the vertical clamping plate and the horizontal clamping plate and having portions coacting in interengagement with supporting portions of said clamping plates whereby forced longitudinal movement of said actuator bars apart is translated intolike movement of said supporting portions of the clamping plates perpendicularly with respect to the actuator bars and in the direction away from the vertical abutment and the horizontal supporting portion of the work carrier, respectively, spring means connecting said actuator bars and yieldably holding them in normal abutting relation to each other, a vertically disposed power cylinder mounted on said work carrier above said actuator bars, a reciprocatory piston in said cylinder, said piston having an axial stem extending downwardly therefrom and projected With leaktight fitting through an opening provided therefor in thebottom end wall of the cylinder, a wedge-shaped head secured on the lower end portion of thepiston stem outside the cylinder, the apex edge portion of said head terminating above said actuator bars and coinciding with the vertical plane where the ends of said actuator bars meet in normal abutting relation to each other, and valve controlled means for alternately supplying fluid under pressure to the cylinder at either side of the piston therein and simultaneously evacuating the pressure fluid from the cylinder at the side of the piston opposite to that at which the fluid is supplied.

2!. The herein described work holding means comprising, in combination with a work carrier movable into and out of cooperative relation to the cutting element of a mortising and tenoning machine or the like, a reciprocatory undercarriage having provision for effecting the operation of the work carrier, said undercarriage also having provision for retracting it to a normal inactive position and for yieldably holding it in such position, means including a rotating cam mounted on said undercarriage and constantly held in working relation to a stationary stop element on the frame of the machine under the influence of the retracting and yieldable holding means of said undercarriage, said cam being formed to effect movement of said undercarriage from its normal position and having opposed concentric portions, one portion for the holding of the undercarriage at rest in its retracted position during a definite period of time and the other portion for likewise holding the undercarriage in its operated position, work clamping and holding means on said work carrier, said means including a power cylinder, a valve controlling a supply of fluid under pressure to said power cylinder whereby to alternately render the work clamping and holding means effective and ineffective, and actuating means for said valve including an auxiliary cam rotating with said undercarriage actuating cam in timed relation thereto, said auxiliary cam having a low concentric portion and an opposed high concentric portion, an actuator lever in cooperative relation to said auxiliary cam and having an operable connection with said controlling valve whereby the valve is reciprocated for the control of the alternate supply of pressure fluid to the power cylinder, the connection between said actuator lever and the valve including means for yieldably holding said actuator lever constantly in engagement with said auxiliary cam.

3. In a machine of the character described, including a base, a work carrier movable into and out of working relation to a cutting means of the machine, a vertical abutment at the forward end of the work carrier in the direction of travel of the latter toward-s the cutting means of the machine, a work clamping plate movably mounted in opposed cooperative relation to said vertical abutment, two horizontally movable reciprocating elements mounted in the carrier and having their ends normally spring held in engagement with each other, a cam carried by each of the elements and adapted to engage thework clamping plate on the outward movement thereof, a V- shaped head adapted to be movedbetween the abutting ends of the elements, a power means for operating said V-shaped head, a second working plate movable at right angles to the first work clamping plate, and cams carried by the reciprocating elements for operating the second work clamping plate at right angles to the first work clamping plate, whereby the two work clamping plates are simultaneously moved to clamping position.

4. In a machine of the character described, including a base, a work carrier movable into and out of Working relation to a cutting means of the machine, a cam for causing such movement of the work carrier, a vertical abutment at the forward end of the work carrier in the direction of travel of the latter towards the cutting means of the machine, a work clamping plate movably mounted in opposed cooperative relation to said vertical abutment, two horizontally movable reciprocating elements mounted in the carrier in the same plane and having spring means for normally holding the ends thereof in engagement with each other, a cam carrier by the outer end of each reciprocating element and engaging the work clamping plate, a second work clamping plate arranged at right angles to the first Work clamping plate, a cam carried by each reciprocating element arranged at right angles to the first mentioned cam and engaging the second work clamping plate, and a vertically movable wedge shaped head adapted to be forced between the abutting ends of the reciprocating elements for 'forcing the same outwardlyto cause the cams to simultaneously move to clamping position.

JAlVIES H. FARRELL. 

